Nesthy Petecio takes home bronze medal in Paris Olympics
Nesthy Petecio, the only remaining Filipino boxer in contention at the 2024 Paris Olympics, clinched the bronze medal on Thursday, Aug. 8.
A close fight ended in a split decision, with Poland's Julia Szeremeta ultimately claiming victory in the women’s 57kg semifinals.
Petecio dominated the first round, but Szeremeta made a strong comeback and won by scores of 29-28, 29-28, 29-28, 29-28, 28-29.
She joins the list of Filipinos who have won multiple Olympic medals, clinching the second bronze medal for the Philippines and the country’s fourth overall medal in this year's Olympics.
Athletes like Petecio are often celebrated for their remarkable achievements and victories. Behind every athlete’s victory is a tough journey that tests their strength and determination. Understanding these challenges helps us appreciate their success.
Let's look at Petecio's journey to becoming a multiple Olympic medalist.
A promising young boxer
Petecio was born in Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur. Her boxing journey began at age seven, thanks to her father, farmer Teodoro Petecio.
In 2007, she was recruited by the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines under the Calinan Boxing, which led her to compete in sports. At that moment, she treated boxing as her ticket out of poverty.
"The reason I chose boxing is because I can help my family, and study for free. There are a lot of opportunities for me in the sport. At first, it wasn't my choice. It was more for self-defense only," she said in 2021.
In an interview with Ceej Tantengco on the Go Hard Girls podcast in March 2021, Petecio highlighted how boxing helped her family survive daily.
“Mahirap talaga ang buhay namin noon. Makakakain kami puro utang. So ang ginagawa namin kapag may inter barangay na palaro sasali talaga kami kasi alam naming may premyo, manalo matalo may premyo kaya may pambili kami ng ulam, may pambili kami ng bigas,” she underscored.
In the same interview, the 32-year-old boxer also narrated how she broke the barriers in male-dominated sports. During the "Araw ng Davao" in Rizal Park in Davao City, she won a match over a male contender who had a bigger build and more experience.
"I was 11 at the time, it was 'Araw ng Davao', and my opponent was a man because there were no women joining," she said, "They were telling me to stop the match and asking me if I can still continue and I would say yes. There was no doubt on my part. I was firm in my belief. I really want to fight."
This paved the way for the aspiring boxer to enter the national boxing team after Celestino Rebamonte recommended her to the Philippine women's boxing team coach, Roel Velasco.
In 2007, she competed in the Smart National Youth and Women's Open Boxing Championships in Cagayan de Oro. She won gold and was selected for the national boxing team.
Dealing with setbacks
Petecio went on to compete in several international tournaments while representing the Philippines. She brought home various medals in different international sports events, such as gold in the 2015 Indonesia President's Cup, silver in the 2014 AIBA Women's World Championships, and at the 2011 and 2013 Southeast Asian Games, and bronze in the 2012 Asian Championships.
However, her journey of being the first Filipina boxer to win an Olympic medal was not a bed of roses.
Petecio faced a series of setbacks in the following years. She was unable to secure a podium finish at the 2014 Asian Games or the 2015 and 2017 Asian Championships. Additionally, she missed the opportunity to compete in the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Her career hit a low point at the 2018 Asian Games when a first-round elimination, coupled with personal challenges, plunged her into seven months of anxiety.
"When I lost my opening bout at the 2018 Asian Games, I really wanted to stop. I was going to look for a job. I was looking for other options," she told Olympics.com.
"At that time, I was really feeling down. I was feeling depressed, I was stressed," she added.
Petecio gave herself the emotional and mental space she needed by taking a much-needed rest from the ring.
Coming back stronger
The year 2019 marked Petecio's redemption as she returned to the boxing ring with renewed determination. She won three gold medals at international competitions, including two at the Southeast Asian Games and the World Championships.
In 2020, she secured a spot at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.
Although she lost against Japan's Irie Sena via unanimous decision, Petecio claimed the silver medal, bringing pride to the country. She created history as the first female Filipina boxer to win an Olympic medal after Mansueto "Onyok" Velasco in 1996.
Paris Olympics stint
Petecio secured her slot at the Paris Olympics last March after defeating Turkey's Esra Yildiz Kahraman in the women's 57-kilogram division during the qualifiers in Italy. She was the Philippines's flagbearer alongside Carlo Paalam during the opening ceremony.
Prior to her Aug. 8 match, Petecio earned the country another guaranteed medal after eliminating China's Zichun Xu with a unanimous win on Sunday at the North Paris Arena in the women's 57kg quarterfinals of the Olympics.
The Philippines has secured four medals in Paris, with gymnast Carlos Yulo winning two golds and boxer Aira Villegas claiming bronze.